Our language has been under aggression during the whole history, but it managed to remain pure. When politics, economy, science and culture developed, the Azerbaijani language was also enriching with new words and terms. Moreover, it is natural that a lot of words concreted in our language from Arabic, Farsi, Russian, Greek, English, French, Latin and other European languages ensuring our language development.
We are writing about mass media language in this article. The language problem in some mass media made us touch this wide and topical subject. Every Azerbaijani who loves his/her motherland and language has to be concerned. We would like to ask several questions the Azerbaijani outstanding scientists – linguists on the matter. We are interested in learning their opinions. They are very concerned about the language problem in mass media.
In this regard, it is interesting to find out the opinion of a professor, head of the Azerbaijani language and methodology chair at Baku State University, honored scientist Yusif Seidov:
– The Azerbaijani language is a language of the Azerbaijani nation and is one of its main wealth. A dual attitude to a language is unacceptable. Regardless of religious belief, profession, status, education, everybody uses the Azerbaijani language making public relations at the same time. The Azerbaijani language is one of the most important guarantees for people living in the republic.
The Azerbaijani language is a state language of Azerbaijan Republic, as stated in a certain article of the Constitution. That means the Azerbaijani language is one of the state attributes. Thus, speaking and writing in literary language is a duty of every citizen in Azerbaijan Republic. Literary Azerbaijani language forms our language, which is in a constant developing. Mass media language has already separated in a scientific sphere. By the way, the notion ‘mass media language’ is very wide. It should be noted that there are a lot of shortcomings in it. Earlier there were few printing editions and TV companies in the country. Nowadays their number increases day by day; everybody writes, who can and who cannot. I think that everything the press publishes has to be carefully checked up and brought in conformity with the Azerbaijani grammar. Some TV and Radio presenters speak in a surprising way. They repeat the same words in appropriate or inappropriate context many times, pronounce words incorrectly, put wrong stresses proving the lack of vocabulary and education. For example, some presenters use “vadar edir” – which is to force somebody – in a positive meaning, “Cəzaya layiq görülüb” – honored with punishment and “sizə isə bazar gününə qədər salavat qalmağı arzulayıram” – stay alive till Sunday which is wrong from a stylistic point of view.
Mahbuba Gurbanova, a senior lecturer at the Azerbaijani language and methodology chair of Baku State University, also said about shortcomings in the mass media language.
– As a linguist I assess the mass media language as unsatisfactory. It should be noted that the subject is very extensive. I think the press and e-media cannot be approached from one side because while speaking about a press media language, we should speak of the grammar aspects of the Azerbaijani language. I intend to speak about the TV and radio language I am very anxious at. Some presenters use words in inappropriate situations repeatedly. Thus, we consider them illiterate, while they, perhaps, know the Azerbaijani grammar very well. But the knowledge is not enough for a TV reporter in an interesting program watched by millions of people. TV reporters must always work at themselves, use words accurately and fulfill their vocabularies in a constant manner. On the whole, mass media collaborators must have more wide knowledge, unlike collaborators in other spheres. It was repeatedly mentioned, journalism is not a certain but wide sphere. A journalist is a many-sided profession. Here is an example; a TV channel is inviting people of different professions to take part in the morning programs. Thus, a TV reporter has serious responsibility. He or she must have perfect knowledge in the sphere of activity of a person invited to the program in order to understand different interesting moments while talking to him or her and also attract viewers’ interest to the program.
I particularly stress the importance of well and skillful Azerbaijani language for a TV reporter carrying out dialogues in the spheres of public politics and science so that the subject covered could sound more interesting. The Azerbaijani language can be compared with beautiful music. Correct speech is pleasant for ears. Mass media is, I would say, an important means to reflect public political, scientific and cultural processes of development in our country. That is why their distortion of the Azerbaijani language cannot be forgivable. Linguistics is one of the most developed spheres of the Azerbaijani science. A lot of scientists have grown in this sphere; the language peculiarities have also been analyzed.
One may conclude from the above stated that there are a lot of problems in the mass media language that the public expresses righteous concern about. I would like to address mass media collaborators, let’s study the Azerbaijani language well; let’s protect our language from distorting not only by ourselves, but also by others. Let’s be proud with such a beautiful language.
Vafa Seidova – expert
Azerbaijan Free Speech Foundation
